26 August 2026
RMT Press Office:
ENERGY union RMT has called for action over the chaos caused by the suspension of certification provision for offshore workers with no consultation with trade unions.
Whilst The Welding Institute’s accredited status for issuing certification for underwater inspection, welding and other offshore tasks has been restored by the UK Accreditation Service, it has interrupted some offshore divers’ pipeline of work and sparked concerns over the difficulties in obtaining certification and completing courses for this skilled work.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey warned that there was now a significant backlog amongst offshore divers and others as some existing certification had either expired or was about to, and some are still awaiting certification having passed their exam weeks ago or had been told that they had failed.
“To deal with the backlog we must prioritise affected workers and, where appropriate, extensions or transitional arrangements should be granted at no extra cost to members.
“Offshore divers and other workers affected should receive priority access to the courses and examinations they need to maintain their ability to find the skilled work.
“We also need government measures to prevent any repeat of this chaos in order to restore workers’ confidence in this system,” he said.
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